The final night of concerts at this year’s Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival got off to a great start with Ottawa’s Loon Choir. It’s been a while since I’ve seen the band perform so i was eager to see them hit the big stage. I noticed that lead vocalist Derek Atkinson was more animated in his performance than I recalled from past shows.

It can be tough working the opening slot, but as expected, the band delivered their upbeat setlist to the appreciative growing crowd. Loon Choir ended their set on a high note with burst of acapella vocals before kicking into their big finale. If you haven’t yet taken a listen to the band or seen a show, I urge you to do so. This is one Ottawa band that continues to surprise me every time I see them.

Next up were Young Empires. While I’ve heard a few of their tunes on LiVE 88.5 I wasn’t really that familiar with them. However it was pretty easy to get into their stuff as the opening bass notes thundered through the cabinets sitting between the stage and my position in the photo pit.

As the crowd continued to grow, you could see many in the audience (obviously familiar with the band’s catalogue) as they grooved along to the beat. Having seen the band perform, it left me wanting to check out more of their music. I look forward to their return to Ottawa, hopefully sooner rather than later.

Finally, it was time for the dance party to begin with A Tribe Called Red. I’ve heard a bunch of their music online, but I hadn’t yet seen them perform. It was time to right that wrong. Their blend of dance beats and elements of hip hop, along with their traditional chants and drum beats is a highly infectious combination. It’s easy to see why the group has been gaining a wider audience the last few years.

The group had a dancer take the stage every few songs, adding an additional visual element to their performance. All the while, the mass of people in front of the stage swayed and danced along.

If you’d like to check out the group for your self, head to Babylon where you can witness their Electric Pow Wow (typically the 2nd Saturday of month).